041713SLSTMART

Kathryn Strimbu, one of St. Mary Catholic Community School's top student artists, displays "Living Books," a work that she created for the Crown Point school's Art from the Heart event Saturday.

Wedding unites Q and U

Members of the wedding party at the Lil' Wildcats Preschool ceremony uniting Miss Q and Mr. U included, from left, Maid of Honor Grace Taylor, Miss Q Saoirse Mullally, Mr. U Dominic Villarreal and Best Man Luke Holok.

Just in time for Easter

A sure sign of spring appeared just in time for Easter in Marlene Moreth’s kindergarten class at St. Mary Catholic Community School in Crown Point. As shown by Addison Henry, from left, Angela Wiley and Rylee Leonard, a successful hatch of chicks was a fun learning experience for students an…

March Madness visits St. Mary's

Sixth-grade winners in the March Madness Basketball Tournament at St. Mary Catholic Community School, from left, referee Chris Krutz, Nick Giesen, Elias Gerodemos, Sam “Clutch” Krutz, Chris Finnissi and referee Noah Thiel.

March Madness visits St. Mary's

St. Mary Catholic Community School's March Madness Basketball Tournament eighth-grade winners, from left, referee Nick Jeffirs, from left, Matt Krampen, Paul Maicher, Alec Thompson, Nicky Waran and referee Jake Brown.

St Mary's hosts student talent show

Talent Show performers last month at St. Mary Catholic Community School in Crown Point include, front row from left, Lukas Denney, Maddie Tomson, Rylee Horn, Blake Jagielski, Matt Krampen, Will Wiley, Whitney Stanage, middle row, Sarah Krasnow, Alaina Stryzcek-Harrell, Marissa McCollum, Nikk…

Wildcats “paws” to help animals

First-graders, from left, Addison Talaga, Vicente Fletes, Lilly Johnson, James Chalos and Molly Scott, display items donated for the seventh annual pet drive at St. Mary Catholic Community School in Crown Point.

Environmental Club visits Illinois park to see bald eagles

Visiting Starved Rock State Park to view the bald eagles are St. Mary Catholic Community School students, front row from left, Eli Wartman, Madison Grcevich, Liana Abad, Grace Mumaugh, Reilly Granger, Courtney Grcevich, Joey Lucas, back row, teacher Heather Clarkson, Principal Tom Ruiz, Alai…

Environmental Club visits Illinois park to see bald eagles

The student group from St. Mary Catholic Community School in Crown Point views the famous frozen waterfall in Wildcat Canyon at Starved Rock State Park during a recent field trip by the Environmental Club.

Dancing for dinner

Dancing at CYO basketball games to raise money for God's Groceries food pantry at St. Mary Church are, front row from left, Avery Van Senus, Marissa Novosel, Grace Taylor, Isabella Teodori, middle row, Sofia Flamini, back row, Anna Surufka, Morgan Scott, Ulyana Potocki, Christina Walsh, Shau…

Dancing for dinner

Dance for Dinner participants this year at St. Mary Catholic Community School include, front row from left, Cassie Bartlett, Sofia Emmanoilidis, Lani Flamini, Rae Holok, Molly Scott, Grace Taylor, Abby Taylor, Maggie Mance, back row, Alex Dominguez, Anna Crutchfield, Jessica Evanson, Lauren …

Technology transforms the classroom

Student Nick Garcia uses an iPad to take notes in class at St. Mary Catholic Community School in Crown Point.

Teams have a ball at benefit

Blake Jagielski, center, and his team celebrate victory in the charity dodge ball tournament sponsored by the St. Mary Catholic Community School Student Council.

Teams have a ball at benefit

Dodge ball tournament participants raised money for La Rabida Children's Hospital at St. Mary Catholic Community School, front row from left, students Cassidy Wold, Victoria McPheron, Sam Grzych, Madelyne Tomson, Blake Jagielski, Joel Ordones, William Wiley, Jack Walsh, Vanessa Anaya, Ariel …

Cybercats is new student activity group

The St. Mary's Cybercats unveil its first robotic vehicle, front row from left, Kyle Poulin, Luke Wartman, Zoe Petsalis, Mallory Ellenson, Brad Kozlowski, back row: coach Heather Clarkson, Ernie Anderson, Chloe Garces, Nicole Miller, Joey Pollitt and Patrick Olenik.

Student Council leads the way to record breaking food drive

Principal Tom Ruiz makes good on his promise to reward a successful food drive by kissing a pig while wearing a Wildcat mascot costume during an all-school assembly.

Student Council leads the way to record breaking food drive

St. Mary Catholic Community School students deliver just half of the food they collected to Catholic Charities in Gary, from left, Jack Walsh, Hannah Joy, Maddie Tomson, Sophie Holt-Wilson, Natalie Thiel, Nick Garcia, Sponsor Allison Bickel, Tessa Wojokovich, Rylee Horn and Matt Krampen. The…

E.P.A. Club learning to protect the planet

E.P.A. Club members from St. Mary Catholic Community School learned about the effect of climate changes on the local environment during a recent field trip to the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, front row from left, teacher/club sponsor Kim Bohling, Autumn Bazelewski, Rosa Patel, Kate Davi…

E.P.A. Club learning to protect the planet

Ranger Kip Walton, right, shows St. Mary Catholic Community School students and E.P.A. Club members Marissa McCollum, Alyssa Riffle and Kyle Bokota one of the many snakes found at the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore during a nature hike.

Giving thanks for veterans

Raymond Crane, who served on board the USS Maryland when Pearl Harbor, Hawaii was attacked during World War II, is thanked for his service by St. Mary Catholic Community School students Isaac Ventura and Matt Clark during a Veterans Day program Nov. 16 at the Crown Point school.

School news team visits the pros

Sharing the WGN-TV set during a visit by St. Mary Catholic Community School students are, front row from left, WGN anchorman Steve Sanders, students Anthony Pelicane and Elizabeth Gonzales, anchorwoman Dina Blair, students Nicole South, Megan Ritter and Caleb Cox, back row, WSMW sponsor Heat…

Spaghetti is what's for supper

Grace Philbin, left, checks out classmate Ulyanna Potocki's spaghetti eating technique at last year’s Spaghetti Supper at St. Mary Catholic Community School in Crown Point. This year's 51st annual supper is set for Wednesday.

Learning about elections

First-grader Mallory Stanage works to complete a mosaic “Vote” button at St. Mary Catholic Community School in Crown Point as her class studied about elections.

Learning about elections

Kindergartner McKenna Smiser casts her vote for president with teacher Linda Mesich on Tuesday at St. Mary Catholic Community School in Crown Point.

Learning about elections

Allison Helton, from left, John LaMere, Emilie McPencow and Brad Ames vote during the mock presidential election at St. Mary Catholic Community School in Crown Point.

Taking a walk for teachers

St. Mary Catholic Community School students Maddy Hussey, from left, Katie Mumaugh, Vanessa Navarro and Emily Wake wear "I love my teacher" signs as they participate in the school's annual Teacher Appreciation Walk-A-Thon.

Taking a walk for teachers

Isabella Gozo, from left, Megan Thomas, Maria Jeffirs, Anna LaMere are not carrying protest signs, but rather placards in support of their teachers at St. Mary Catholic Community School in Crown Point. The girls were participating in the recent walk-a-thon sponsored by the school.

School to host Fall Family Fun Fair on Friday

St. Mary Catholic Community School students Zach Kammer, from left, Sam Krutz, Bradley Duda, Paige Sanborn and Olivia Small paint a game board that will be used at the Crown Point school's Fall Family Fun Fair from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday.

Nursery school classroom added at St. Mary's

St. Mary Catholic Community School has expanded with a new nursery school class, front row from left, Luke Holok, Miles Kasper, Dominic Villarreal, Grace Taylor, Lucas Barnes, back row, teacher aide Jennifer Rogers, Peighton Jamroz, teacher Dee Samyn and Saoirse Mullally.

Students to show appreciation

Sofia Ruiz and Nicole South exit Rosary Lane to begin the Teacher Appreciation Walk-a-Thon last year at St. Mary Catholic Community School.

Students celebrate with treats and yearbooks

St. Mary Catholic Community School students, from left, Martina Eliscupides, Molly Scott, Abby Lucka, Vicente Fletes, Christopher Kotul and Rafael Fletes, enjoy a cool treat at the Crown Point school's annual Back To School Ice Cream Social and Yearbook Signing Party.

Students celebrate with treats and yearbooks

Ashley Talaga signs Victoria Mance's yearbook during the Back To School Ice Cream Social and Yearbook Signing Party outdoors at St. Mary Catholic Community School in Crown Point.

Racing for science

A group of participants representing St. Mary Catholic Community School celebrate having the most runners in the Space Race hosted by Challenger Learning Center on the Purdue University Calumet campus in Hammond.

Racing for science

Principal Tom Ruiz of St. Mary Catholic Community School in Crown Point receives congratulations from astronaut Jerry Ross, a Crown Point native, after being awarded a Family Science Night at Challenger Learning Center for having the most participants in the Space Race.

Racing for science

Runners are shown at the start of the Space Race at Purdue University Calumet in Hammond.

St. Mary School adds classroom for preschoolers

Ready to learn is the pre-k class that recently completed the school year at St. Mary Catholic Community School, front row from left, Elicia Cruz, Owen Serrano, Samantha Noren, Ayla Mitchell, Dane Lach, Ava Scheeringa, Jayden Surdzial, Sophia Valdes, Angela Wiley, Nicholas Kvachkoff, and bac…

Schools unite to celebrate end of year

Students at St. Mary Catholic Community School in Crown Point celebrated the end of the school’s 140th year with a field day, and were joined by students from Avicenna Academy, also in Crown Point. The students enjoyed a tug of war, dizzy bat race, trike races, and even an inflatable obstacl…

Wildcats communicate the old-fashioned way

First-graders Mea Sanders and Jaidin Traina mail letters home to their families as part of a classroom writing activity at St. Mary Catholic Community School in Crown Point.

Pi rules for a day

Kennedy Richardson, from left, Kamryn Yerga and Katie Pawlowsk, along with other seventh- and eighth-graders at St. Mary Catholic Community School, celebrated Pi Day on March 14 (3.14). Joining schools across the country in this tradition, students did some research on the number pi, made dr…

March Madness strikes Wildcats

Seventh- and eighth-grade champs in the Wildcat March Madness tournament made it farther than their namesake, Duke, did in this year's NCAA tourney. Winning the title are, from left, Jake Brown, Tommy Sanborn, tournament co-organizer Nick Jeffirs, Nate Hanlon and Fernando Barajas.

March Madness strikes Wildcats

The Pink Panthers captured first place in the fifth- and sixth-grade division of Wildcat March Madness. Receiving congratulations from tournament co-organizer Nick Jeffirs, from left, are Tommy Benson, Joey Pollitt, Adam Regan and Sam "Clutch" Krutz.

Celebrating all things Seuss

Kindergartners at St. Mary Catholic Community School in Crown Point celebrated Dr. Seuss's birthday this month by eating real green eggs and ham. They watched an Internet presentation of "One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish," sponsored by Book-it and read by professional football player …

Celebrating all things Seuss

Making green eggs and ham with teacher Marlene Moreth to celebrate Dr. Seuss' birthday are St. Mary Catholic Community School kindergartners Gabriel Vivo and Ella Punak.

Stuffed with love

Courtney Bergquist's seventh-grade class at St. Mary Catholic Community School in Crown Point spearheaded a school-wide drive Feb. 3 to collect stuffed animals for the "I Need a Hug" program. These animals are given to guidance counselors in 84 Northwest Indiana elementary schools for counse…

Geography champion repeats

Social Studies teacher Brad Nieman reads a first-round question to Geography Bee participants at St. Mary Catholic Community School, from left, Luke Wartman, Nikki Riffel, Colin Gee, Stephen Dvorscak, Katie Pawlawski, Greg Macyszak, Andrew VanDerWey, Alec Barancyk and Nicky Warran.

That was the week that was

Assistant Principal Don Domsich, a 40-year Catholic school educator, serves during the Teachers vs. Eighth Grade volleyball game at St. Mary Catholic Community School.

That was the week that was

Students Megan Thomas, Lillie Tomson, and Lauren Roque, attired in their best sleepwear for Pajama Day, cheer on their teachers during Catholic Schools Week at St. Mary Catholic Community School.

That was the week that was

Eighth-graders strike a pose after a hard-fought volleyball game during Catholic Schools Week at St. Mary Catholic Community School.

Grant boosts reading efforts

St. Mary Catholic Community School was a recent recipient of a grant from the Anthony Kinkade Foundation Fund, established in memory of a St. Mary's graduate. Half of the $1,000 grant was put towards the science curriculum and half was used to purchase more than 75 first-grade books and a NE…

Showcasing young artists

Grade level winners whose artwork is included in the Young Artist Showcase event at South Shore Arts, front row from left, Winter Gonzalez, Maxine Cain, Stacy Ndyetabula, Gabrielle Wagner, Mira Maravilla, Daisy Cain, J.J. Mullally, second row, Mile Ivezic, Jacob Nowak, Kaily Kwilas, Seth Goz…